Online academic databases have become a top research resource for students and professionals because of their easy access to millions of scholarly resources. However, the ability to use these databases correctly and efficiently is the key to maximizing research. Your research discipline will determine which database you use. While JSTOR, EBSCOhost and Google Scholar offer sources from a variety of disciplines, LexisNexis is focused primarily on legal, news a business sources.
This wiki provides an overview of JSTOR, EBSCOhost, Google Scholar, and LexisNexis. Using JSTOR as an example, it provides step-by-step instructions on how to use JSTOR's advanced search engine. While these instructions are directed toward university students, they may also be helpful to professionals as well.
What is a Database?
An academic database is an online filing system that search collections of scholarly literature, such as peer reviewed journals, books, and newspapers. This method of digital archiving ensures easy access to, and preservation of, scholarly material. Access to databases is usually purchased by subscription, while some content is freely available. The University of Victoria subscribes to many academic databases which students can freely access with a Netlink ID.
What Are The Most Popular Academic Databases?
Although there are many databases — some more specific than others — JSTOR, EBSCOhost, LexisNexis and Google Scholar are a few of the most popular and useful for undergrads or professional writers.
How Do They Differ?
JSTOR searches a broad variety of disciplines scholarly books, articles, and abstracts. Unlike LexisNexis, JSTOR does not have target a specific group of individuals. Also, while it does provide a variety of literature, it is primarily an online archive of journals. Between these four databases, JSTOR is the only one to offer the option of searching within a specific discipline/s.
Click here to go to the JSTOR academic search page.
Google Scholar is the most simple database of these four. It searches scholarly books, articles, and abstracts from variety of disciplines, across many different databases. However, its use can be limited, as not all databases can be accessed without subscription. While it may provide you with more results from a variety of databases, not all material will be freely accessible. Google Scholar also has the option to search only legal documents.
Click here to go to the Google Scholar search page.
LexisNexis offers access to an online database of full-text news, business and legal documents. It hosts over 6,000 individual sources, searching newspapers, periodicals, television and radio broadcasts as well as blogs and corporate directories. It is a specific database that is primarily used by law, business, political science, and psychology students or professionals.
Click here to go to the LexisNexis academic search page.
EBSCOhost is an interface that provides access to a variety of multidisciplinary databases. It hosts information from ebooks, journals and digital archives from a wide variety of subjects including humanities, science and business. Its sources include newspapers, magazines, academic journals, book reviews, trade publications, books, and some government documents. While EBSO does not have the option to search within a specific discipline, it is possible to choose a specific database/s to search from.
Click here to go to the EBSCOhost academic search page.
Why Are Academic Databases Useful?
Being able to access information from anywhere in the world is important to the process of forming successful, specific research. Now that more and more publications are becoming available online, it is possible to research almost (almost) anything. While there are still many primary resources that have yet to be discovered, online databases are still an excellent source.
Libraries and publishers are able to reach new audiences in a way that would not be possible without academic databases.
What is JSTOR?
JSTOR is a not-for-profit academic database that has digitally archived more than 1,500 academic journals and more than one million primary sources into one organized collection.
JSTOR advanced search allows the researcher to utilize key words and limit search results to find specific information. As JSTOR searches peer reviewed material, as well as other primary sources, the result is a more reliable search result than its simple web-search counterparts.
How Do I Use JSTOR?
1) For a simple search, type your keywords into the search box on the home page. This will search across all the full texts and data of all JSTOR's scholarly items.
*Choosing key words: When choosing key words, first identify your research topic, then identify your topic's major concepts, and finally identify alternative terms that describe your concepts. Remember that a search engine looks for material based on the words you type, not on the concept you have in mind. For example, if you want to research the topic of unfair treatment of minority groups in Canada, you may want to choose words such as discrimination, assimilation, Aboriginals, etc.
2) Click on “Advanced Search” if you require a more refined search.
Advanced search options
Advanced search allows you to further narrow your research topic.
Search by full text, author, item title, abstract, or caption.
Enter multiple fields, separating each field by selecting AND/OR/NOT from the drop down menu, as shown below.
Search by full length articles, reviews, pamphlets, date range, etc.
Select to search within a specific discipline/s, or within a specific journal/s (not shown). The more information you input, the more specific your results will be.
3) Save your current search onto your JSTOR account (optional). Saving your search will enable you to come back to a search later if you start searching a new topic.
4) Modify your search if you need to add or change information.
5) Once you've found a journal article, from that same search page you can either save the citation or, if the journal seems promising, you can choose to search for more articles within the same publication.
Search tips
To search within an article, click on "View PDF" and use the pdf search tool.
Using quotation marks: be sure you're confident in the exact word order because JSTOR will search the terms exactly as they appear.
An asterisk (*) acts as a wildcard. That is, it will replace any terms or characters in a word. For example, a search with "Russi*" will find results containing Russia, Russian, Russians, etc.
The # symbol can be used to find variations of a word. For example, "drink#" will find drink, drank, drunk, drinker, etc.
JSTOR will not include words such as in, and, at, that, etc. in a search because, unless quotation marks surround the entire phrase, these words will slow the search.
Conclusion
Finding a resource for a research project can often be more challenging and time-consuming than expected, so being able to utilize the search tools within an academic database is important. Particularly, utilizing proper key words and connecters will ensure you obtain relevant research material. The UVic Library website also offers access to more discipline-specific databases, which you can browse by subject.
JSTOR is an excellent tool for professional writers, as it is possible to search across a broad spectrum of disciplines and narrow down a topic as required.
Academic databases in general are one of the most useful tools for an undergrad or professional writer who may not always have to option of travelling to a library. And knowing the specific research options that each database offers will make ensure that research is conducted efficiently
To learn more about how to search the databases described in this wiki, click on the links below.
For more information on searching LexisNexis, click here. For more information on searching JSTOR, click here. For more information on searching Google Scholar, click here. For more information on searching EBSCOhost, click here.
Introduction
Table of Contents
This wiki provides an overview of JSTOR, EBSCOhost, Google Scholar, and LexisNexis. Using JSTOR as an example, it provides step-by-step instructions on how to use JSTOR's advanced search engine. While these instructions are directed toward university students, they may also be helpful to professionals as well.
What is a Database?
An academic database is an online filing system that search collections of scholarly literature, such as peer reviewed journals, books, and newspapers. This method of digital archiving ensures easy access to, and preservation of, scholarly material. Access to databases is usually purchased by subscription, while some content is freely available. The University of Victoria subscribes to many academic databases which students can freely access with a Netlink ID.
What Are The Most Popular Academic Databases?
Although there are many databases — some more specific than others — JSTOR, EBSCOhost, LexisNexis and Google Scholar are a few of the most popular and useful for undergrads or professional writers.
How Do They Differ?
JSTOR searches a broad variety of disciplines scholarly books, articles, and abstracts. Unlike LexisNexis, JSTOR does not have target a specific group of individuals. Also, while it does provide a variety of literature, it is primarily an online archive of journals. Between these four databases, JSTOR is the only one to offer the option of searching within a specific discipline/s.
Click here to go to the JSTOR academic search page.
Google Scholar is the most simple database of these four. It searches scholarly books, articles, and abstracts from variety of disciplines, across many different databases. However, its use can be limited, as not all databases can be accessed without subscription. While it may provide you with more results from a variety of databases, not all material will be freely accessible. Google Scholar also has the option to search only legal documents.
Click here to go to the Google Scholar search page.
LexisNexis offers access to an online database of full-text news, business and legal documents. It hosts over 6,000 individual sources, searching newspapers, periodicals, television and radio broadcasts as well as blogs and corporate directories. It is a specific database that is primarily used by law, business, political science, and psychology students or professionals.
Click here to go to the LexisNexis academic search page.
EBSCOhost is an interface that provides access to a variety of multidisciplinary databases. It hosts information from ebooks, journals and digital archives from a wide variety of subjects including humanities, science and business. Its sources include newspapers, magazines, academic journals, book reviews, trade publications, books, and some government documents. While EBSO does not have the option to search within a specific discipline, it is possible to choose a specific database/s to search from.
Click here to go to the EBSCOhost academic search page.
Why Are Academic Databases Useful?
Being able to access information from anywhere in the world is important to the process of forming successful, specific research. Now that more and more publications are becoming available online, it is possible to research almost (almost) anything. While there are still many primary resources that have yet to be discovered, online databases are still an excellent source.
Libraries and publishers are able to reach new audiences in a way that would not be possible without academic databases.
What is JSTOR?
JSTOR is a not-for-profit academic database that has digitally archived more than 1,500 academic journals and more than one million primary sources into one organized collection.
JSTOR advanced search allows the researcher to utilize key words and limit search results to find specific information. As JSTOR searches peer reviewed material, as well as other primary sources, the result is a more reliable search result than its simple web-search counterparts.
How Do I Use JSTOR?
1) For a simple search, type your keywords into the search box on the home page. This will search across all the full texts and data of all JSTOR's scholarly items.
2) Click on “Advanced Search” if you require a more refined search.
Advanced search options
Advanced search allows you to further narrow your research topic.
3) Save your current search onto your JSTOR account (optional). Saving your search will enable you to come back to a search later if you start searching a new topic.
4) Modify your search if you need to add or change information.
5) Once you've found a journal article, from that same search page you can either save the citation or, if the journal seems promising, you can choose to search for more articles within the same publication.
Search tips
Conclusion
Finding a resource for a research project can often be more challenging and time-consuming than expected, so being able to utilize the search tools within an academic database is important. Particularly, utilizing proper key words and connecters will ensure you obtain relevant research material. The UVic Library website also offers access to more discipline-specific databases, which you can browse by subject.
JSTOR is an excellent tool for professional writers, as it is possible to search across a broad spectrum of disciplines and narrow down a topic as required.
Academic databases in general are one of the most useful tools for an undergrad or professional writer who may not always have to option of travelling to a library. And knowing the specific research options that each database offers will make ensure that research is conducted efficiently
To learn more about how to search the databases described in this wiki, click on the links below.
For more information on searching LexisNexis, click here.
For more information on searching JSTOR, click here.
For more information on searching Google Scholar, click here.
For more information on searching EBSCOhost, click here.